Travel Fatigue & Jet Lag
Shiatsu for Travel Fatigue & Jet Lag
Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Mezzanine · The origin of Shiatsu, since 1925.
Phone: +81-3-3581-7354 · Open daily, 11:00–19:00 JST
The flight is over. Your body has not noticed yet.
You crossed an ocean to be here.
Somewhere along the way, your body fell behind — heavy legs, a stiff lower back, a mind unsure of what time it is.
Before the trip truly begins, give your body one unhurried hour on the Mezzanine floor of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo.
This is the salon of the family that created Shiatsu in 1925 — the origin, carried by the direct Namikoshi line for over a century, applied with hands alone.
To arrange a session on the day you land, see our shiatsu after a long flight guide for phone bookings, timing and arrival details.
A long-haul flight asks a great deal of the body.
Hours of sitting settle into the hips and lower back, the shoulders climb toward the ears, and the legs grow heavy from stillness.
Then comes the time difference — wide awake at 4 a.m., fading by late afternoon, a dull haze trailing you through your first days in Tokyo.
Namikoshi Shiatsu meets that state quietly, with hands alone — sustained thumb and palm pressure on the body's vital points, grounded in physiology and anatomy.
The aim is simple: to loosen what the journey has tightened, and to give the body a still, private hour in which to unwind and settle.
Guests also come to us after climbing Mount Fuji, after theme park days, and after day trips to Hakone, Kamakura or Nikko — whenever a full day has left its weight in the body.
A traditional Japanese technique — hands only, licensed practitioners.
If you have been searching for a traditional Japanese massage in Tokyo, Shiatsu is the tradition itself — though unlike oil massage, it works through sustained pressure alone, applied with the thumbs and palms.
At our salon it is performed as it has been handed down since 1925: no tools, no machines, no medications.
Every practitioner holds the Japanese national license of Anma Massage Shiatsu Practitioner.
Your session takes place in a private room, usually in a gown we provide. If changing is difficult, we will adjust to your needs case by case.
Depth and rhythm are adjusted to your condition throughout — after a flight, many guests ask for slower, deeper work on the lower back, hips, and legs, and lighter attention around the head and neck.
Tell your practitioner how you feel in plain English; that is enough.
Shiatsu at our salon is performed by nationally licensed practitioners.
It is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician.
All practitioners hold the national Anma Massage Shiatsu Practitioner license.
This is the origin.
In 1925, Tokujiro Namikoshi created Shiatsu and gave it its name.
The technique you receive here has been handed down within his family — from the first generation to the fourth, without interruption, for over a century.
Shiatsu is now practiced around the world, but its source is a single family.
This is the salon of that family: the founder's direct line, now in its fourth generation, practices here at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo.
If you would like the full story, we have written it down — see The Namikoshi Lineage, and Where to Experience Namikoshi Shiatsu.
What to expect on your visit
Arrival — the salon is on the Mezzanine floor of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo Main Building.
If you are staying at the hotel, simply take the stairs up from the Main Building lobby to the Mezzanine, or come up by elevator; no taxi, no map, no Japanese required.
Not staying at the hotel? Hibiya Station (Exit A13) is a one-minute walk, Uchisaiwaicho Station (Exit A5) three minutes, and Ginza and Yurakucho are both within walking distance.
First-time guests begin with a short intake — your practitioner will guide you through it in English, so please arrive about five minutes early.
Counselling — before the session, your practitioner asks about your flight, your sleep, and where the fatigue sits.
Session — in a private room, your practitioner works through the body's vital points with thumbs and palms only. Sessions are usually given in a gown we provide. If changing is difficult, we will adjust to your needs case by case.
Checkout — change back into your clothes, settle payment at reception, and step back into your evening — or straight up to your room.
Rates & hours
All prices include tax.
Open daily, 11:00–19:00 JST (last session starts at 19:00), year-round — weekends and holidays included.
After a long-haul flight, most travelers choose 90 or 120 minutes, which allows unhurried work through the whole body.
Rates differ only when the session is given by Takashi Namikoshi (3rd generation) or Tomoya Namikoshi (4th generation).
Booking in English — email is easiest.
You do not need to speak Japanese, and you do not need to phone.
Email is the easiest way to book: write to us in English through our reservation page with your preferred date, time, and session length.
Guests may email in any language; replies are in English or Japanese. On the phone and on the day, staff help in simple English.
If you are already at the Imperial Hotel, you are also welcome to stop by the salon reception on the Mezzanine and book in person.
Phone bookings are welcome too, in simple English or Japanese: +81-3-3581-7354.
Walk-ins are welcome if a slot is available — please call ahead on the day to check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I book a same-day session?
I don't speak Japanese. Is that a problem?
Is the salon only for Imperial Hotel guests?
What should I wear? I'll be coming straight from sightseeing.
How long is a session, and which length should I choose?
My head feels heavy after a long flight. What does a session cover?
Are your practitioners nationally licensed?
What technique do you practise?
It's raining, or I have a few hours before my next plan. Can I come?
Can I come during a long layover?
Booking in English — email is easiest.
Guests may email in any language; replies are in English or Japanese. On the phone and on the day, staff help in simple English.
Namikoshi Shiatsu Salon / Namikoshi Shiatsu Associates Inc. / Mezzanine Floor, Main Building, Imperial Hotel Tokyo / +81-3-3581-7354 / https://namikoshi-shiatsu-salon.jp/
This salon carries the direct line of four generations from Tokujiro Namikoshi.